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Ricochet

It’s not something I talk about directly on here very often, but my job history is rather unconventional. Not in a life-of-crime way, just a tendency toward capriciousness. I wrote a short book about it called Ricochet, and I think the title is itself an accurate nutshell. The majority of my adult life has been a fluctuation of trying to accept this inclination and/or remedy it. Then a couple years ago, I came across the term “multipotentialite” while in the midst of a vague existential crisis. The idea was coined decades ago, but recently popularized by Emilie Wapnick, who believes some people just aren’t specialists like society has trained us to think. She has a website and community called Putty-like for the many-faceted folks who don’t want to settle on a couple areas of interest in career or life. Ever since then, I’ve felt less like a freak who constantly needs to explain my erratic situation.

Last night in a bout of cabin fever, I decided to take a walk down Belmont and find somewhere to get a drink. As I strolled along the north side of the street, I spotted someone across the way who looked like the photos I’ve seen of Emilie Wapnick online. Not one to miss an opportunity to reach out, I crossed over and approached. After confirming it was her, we had a brief and slightly awkward interaction which ended with me raising my fist and declaring “Multipotentialites!” It seems that’s how these encounters go sometimes, but I’m still glad it happened.